Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel
The Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) is a Basel-based, non-profit research institute founded in 2017 that combines basic vision science and clinical ophthalmology to develop gene therapies, optogenetics, mitochondrial transplantation, and base-editing treatments for patients with blinding and vision-impairing diseases.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersBasel, Switzerland
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel does
The Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) is a privately funded, non-profit research institute founded in 2017 in Basel, Switzerland, employing 101–250 staff, that combines basic vision science and clinical ophthalmology under one roof to develop new therapies for blinding and vision-impairing diseases spanning myopia, macular degeneration, glaucoma, inherited retinal diseases, and blindness. Its core technology stack includes MitoCatch cell-type-targeted mitochondrial transplantation (MitoCatch-C, -M, -Bi variants), high-efficiency adenine base editing delivered by AAV vectors for retinal gene correction (75% editing in cones, 87% in RPE demonstrated in Stargardt disease), cone-targeted optogenetic vision restoration that has produced the first proof-of-concept in blind retinitis pigmentosa patients, engineered human TRPV1 channels for near-infrared vision restoration without foreign proteins, and a 20,000-organoid human retinal screening platform. IOB also operates technology platforms in single-cell genomics, clinical data science, protein engineering, human organoids, and complex viruses, and in 2026 co-developed an in-sensor cryptographic signature chip with ETH Zurich that cryptographically signs captured data for anti-deepfake use — a deliberate diversification beyond ophthalmology. Its GTM is non-commercial: research output is disseminated through high-impact peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and media coverage, and monetized indirectly through competitive grant funding from bodies such as the European Research Council, Swiss National Science Foundation, and the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, supplemented by technology transfer via its first spinout company RhyGaze AG (CHF 10 million seed, co-led by BioGeneration Ventures and Novartis Venture Fund in July 2024) and a collaboration with Beam Therapeutics on base-editing therapeutics. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees with representation from the University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, and Novartis, advised by a Scientific Advisory Board chaired by José-Alain Sahel and including directors from the U.S. NIH National Eye Institute and Singapore National Eye Centre.PhD/MD-PhD students are matriculated at the University of Basel and have access to the Graduate Teaching Programme of the Biozentrum, with significant funding support from the Sedinum Foundation since 2022.
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel
- Legal name
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel
- Website
- https://iob.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) is a Basel-based, non-profit research institute founded in 2017 that combines basic vision science and clinical ophthalmology to develop gene therapies, optogenetics, mitochondrial transplantation, and base-editing treatments for patients with blinding and vision-impairing diseases.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ophthalmology Research and Translational Vision Science
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rare Ophthalmology Disorder Therapies (HLAIAIAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Ophthalmology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAK)
Keywords
Where Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Basel
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Research funding and grants: IOB operates as a research institute funded primarily through competitive research grants from European and Swiss funding bodies, including the European Research Council (ERC) grants, Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), and other institutional funders.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IOB is a non-profit research institute that conducts molecular and clinical ophthalmology research, developing novel gene therapies, base editing platforms, mitochondrial transplantation technologies, and optogenetic vision restoration approaches for blinding diseases. The institute translates discoveries into therapies through clinical trials, spinout companies (such as RhyGaze AG), and licensing agreements with pharmaceutical partners, while also offering a PhD/MD-PhD training program in Translational Visual Neurosciences.
Product overview
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) is a research institute uniting researchers and clinicians to restore vision through basic science, clinical research, and therapeutic development. The organization operates research groups and technology platforms (Single-Cell Genomics, Human Organoid, Protein Engineering, Clinical Data Science) focused on five medical needs: Myopia, Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Inherited Retinal Diseases, and Blindness. Key technology platforms include the MitoCatch mitochondrial transplantation system, retinal base editing for gene therapy, and in-sensor cryptographic signature technology. IOB's first spinout, RhyGaze AG, commercializes cone optogenetics gene therapy. The institute also offers a PhD/MD-PhD program in Translational Visual Neurosciences launched in 2022.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RhyGaze AG: IOB's first spinout company developing gene therapies for retinal diseases causing blindness, focusing on cone optogenetics to restore vision.
Products and services
- MitoCatch Platform Cell type-targeted mitochondrial transplantation technology using engineered protein binders (MitoCatch-C, MitoCatch-M, MitoCatch-Bi variants) to deliver healthy mitochondria to specific cell types including neurons, retinal, cardiac, endothelial, and immune cells for the treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction diseases. MitoCatch is a research platform at IOB offered as part of the institute's research and translational capabilities.
- RhyGaze AG IOB's first spinout company developing cone optogenetics gene therapy to restore vision in patients suffering from blinding diseases. Raised CHF 10 million in seed funding co-led by BioGeneration Ventures and Novartis Venture Fund to advance gene therapy manufacturing and clinical trials.
- IOB PhD / MD-PhD Program in Translational Visual Neurosciences Structured doctoral training program launched in 2022 that spans molecular mechanisms to clinical studies, preparing trainees for leadership roles in vision science and ophthalmology. Students are matriculated at the University of Basel with access to the Graduate Teaching Programme of the Biozentrum, in partnership with the Sedinum Foundation.
- In-Sensor Cryptographic Signature Technology Sensor chip technology that embeds security directly into the sensing process by generating unique digital fingerprints (hashes) at the moment of capture to prove data authenticity and detect tampering of images, videos, and audio. Co-developed with ETH Zurich's Andreas Hierlemann Lab.
- Retinal Base Editing Platform High-efficiency base editing platform for retinal gene correction using adenine base editors delivered by AAV vectors, demonstrated in primates and human tissues for Stargardt disease and inherited retinal degenerations, developed in collaboration with Beam Therapeutics.
Quantifiable outcome
- 75% average editing rate in cone cells and 87% in retinal pigment epithelial cells achieved with base editing therapy for Stargardt disease
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
Feature6 records
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- RhyGaze AGcoreRhyGaze AG is IOB's first spinout company, founded in 2024 to advance groundbreaking gene therapy for treating blindness. The company focuses on cone optogenetics gene therapy to restore vision in patients suffering from diseases causing blindness. RhyGaze raised CHF 10 million seed funding co-led by BGV and Novartis Venture Fund.
- Sedinum FoundationcoreThe Sedinum Foundation has partnered with the IOB PhD and MD-PhD program since its establishment in 2022, contributing significantly to research excellence and academic achievement in translational visual neurosciences.
- University of BaselcoreIOB is embedded within the academic environment of the University of Basel. PhD and MD-PhD students are matriculated at the University of Basel and have access to the Graduate Teaching Programme of the Biozentrum.
- Eye Clinic of the University Hospital BaselcoreClinical partner providing hands-on clinical exposure for IOB researchers and PhD/MD-PhD students. Nicolas Feltgen serves as both IOB Director of Clinic and Medical Head of the Eye Clinic.
- ETH Zurich - Andreas Hierlemann's LabmajorCo-developed sensor technology that cryptographically signs data at the moment of capture. Research collaboration with Fernando Cardes García and interdisciplinary team at ETH Zurich's Professorship for Biosystems Engineering.
- Institut de la Vision, ParismajorCollaborative partner in optogenetic vision restoration research. The 2021 groundbreaking clinical trial results were achieved in collaboration with researchers from Institut de la Vision in Paris.
- Beam TherapeuticsmajorCollaboration with Beam Therapeutics led by David Bryson and Giuseppe Ciaramella for the development of adenine base editors for treating Stargardt disease and other inherited retinal disorders.
- Semmelweis University, BudapestmajorCollaborative partner in research on engineered human TRPV1 channels for infrared light detection in blind retinas.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Editas Medicine: Clinical-stage gene editing company developing CRISPR-based therapies (reni-cel, EDIT-101) for inherited retinal diseases including Leber congenital amaurosis 10. Direct parallel to IOB's base editing and AAV-delivered gene correction programs.
- Nanoscope Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing optogenetic gene therapies (MCO-010) for retinal degenerative diseases including retinitis pigmentosa and Stargardt disease. Direct competitor in the same optogenetic vision restoration space as IOB's research.
- ProQR Therapeutics: Clinical-stage RNA therapeutics company developing Axiomer RNA-editing therapies for inherited retinal diseases including Usher syndrome and Leber congenital amaurosis. Comparable therapeutic approach for inherited retinal diseases where IOB is conducting base-editing research.
- MeiraGTx: Clinical-stage gene therapy company with multiple ophthalmology programs (e.g., botaretigene sparoparvovec for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa). Compares directly to IOB's therapeutic development focus on inherited retinal diseases and vision restoration.
- GenSight Biologics: French clinical-stage gene therapy company developing optogenetic therapies (GS030) to restore vision in retinitis pigmentosa and other inherited retinal diseases. Direct competitor to IOB's optogenetics platform and to spinout RhyGaze AG.
- RhyGaze AG: IOB's first spinout company developing cone optogenetics gene therapy for vision restoration, backed by BGV and Novartis Venture Fund. Direct spinout from IOB's optogenetics research; competes directly with GenSight Biologics in optogenetic vision restoration.
- Institut de la Vision (Paris): Leading French ophthalmology research institute affiliated with Sorbonne Université and partner in IOB's optogenetic vision restoration clinical trials. Closely comparable research institute focused on vision science with overlapping principal investigators (José-Alain Sahel).
- SparingVision: Paris-based clinical-stage biotech developing gene therapies (RP1, SPVN06) for inherited retinal diseases including retinitis pigmentosa. Closely comparable to IOB's translational pipeline and partnered with Institut de la Vision, IOB's research collaborator.
Emerging players
- Beam Therapeutics: Clinical-stage base editing company partnering with IOB on adenine base editors for Stargardt disease and inherited retinal disorders. While a partner rather than pure competitor, Beam's commercial development of base editing creates overlap with IOB's research pipeline.
Broad incumbents
- REGENXBIO: Clinical-stage gene therapy company with multiple AAV-delivered ophthalmology programs (ABBV-RGX-314 for wet AMD, RGX-121). Larger established player developing gene therapies that overlap with IOB's AAV-delivered therapeutic approach for retinal diseases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel social profiles
Digital presenceInstitute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel
What does Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel do?
IOB is a non-profit research institute that conducts molecular and clinical ophthalmology research, developing novel gene therapies, base editing platforms, mitochondrial transplantation technologies, and optogenetic vision restoration approaches for blinding diseases. The institute translates discoveries into therapies through clinical trials, spinout companies (such as RhyGaze AG), and licensing agreements with pharmaceutical partners, while also offering a PhD/MD-PhD training program in Translational Visual Neurosciences.
Is Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel a public or private company?
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel founded?
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel was founded in 2017. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel based?
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel make money?
One revenue line is on record: research funding and grants.
Who are Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Editas Medicine, Nanoscope Therapeutics, ProQR Therapeutics, MeiraGTx, GenSight Biologics, RhyGaze AG, Institut de la Vision (Paris) and SparingVision. Beam Therapeutics is listed as an emerging player. REGENXBIO is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel have an API?
No public API is recorded for Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel.
What industry is Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel in?
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel's product category is Ophthalmology Research and Translational Vision Science. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIAIAK, Rare Ophthalmology Disorder Therapies, with a secondary code of HLAIACAK, Ophthalmology Specialty Pharmaceuticals. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8731.